Read Online Just Keep Sweet (The Compound Series) by Melissa Brown - Free Book Online

should go,” Holly said, turning to the door.
    “Stop.” Aspen jumped in front of Holly, blocking the door. Holly, clearly rattled, backed away, peering at me with desperate eyes. Aspen closed the gap between them and pressed one finger to Holly’s chest. Holly gasped as Aspen demanded information.
    “Why are you here? Are you working for him?”
    “Of course not. You know how I feel about that man.”
    “I thought I did. But now you’re running his errands.”
    “Because I have to, Aspen. I have no choice. He’s still my husband, and the prophet.”
    Aspen scoffed, shaking her head. “What did he tell you about Jonathan?”
    “Nothing, I promise you. When I returned home after delivering your phone, I was a little defiant. Clarence is punishing me by sending me here. He knows I have no interest in doing his bidding; that’s why he chose me. Don’t you see that?”
    “I don’t know what I see anymore.” Aspen shook her head, disgust painted across her delicate face. “I thought you understood me.”
    “I do,” Holly said with wide eyes. “You have no idea. That man makes my life a living . . . well, you know what I mean without me having to spew vulgarities.”
    I dealt with liars each and every day. Holly was telling the truth, I could feel it. “Holly?”
    “Yes.” She seemed relieved that I’d interrupted the stand off between her and the skeptical Aspen.
    “Will you help us?”
    “With what?”
    “The prophet. We’re going to take him down. He’s betrayed everyone in your community, and it’s time he is brought to justice.”
    “Yes.” Holly’s eyes lit up. “Yes, I can help. I’ll do whatever you say.”
    Aspen turned to me, daggers in her eyes. “Jonathan, no. We can’t trust her.”
    “Yes, you can!” Holly said, voice raised, tears building in her brown eyes. “I despise that man with every fiber of my being. I’ll do whatever you need me to do, I swear on my faith.”
    “Don’t do that,” Aspen said, her eyes pressed tight, her hands secured to her hips. “That’s blasphemy.”
    “No, it’s not.” A tear fell down Holly’s cheek. “I know he’s going to marry Ruthie. And I know he’s trying to get inside your head, to torture you as he does me. I can’t stand it anymore, and I want to help you. Please let me.”
    I walked to Aspen, my fingers grazing her elbow. She flinched at my touch, and I did my best to ignore it. “What do we have to lose?”
    Aspen sighed, looking up at the ceiling, hands still clinging to her hips.
    “Everything.”
    “Not true,” I disagreed. “Look, we have just a few weeks to get a warrant before he takes Ruthie as his wife. We’re on borrowed time and we have to act fast, we need information, as much as we can possibly get. Holly’s in his home. She can get us information without anyone knowing; she can fly under the radar.”
    “Under the what ?” Annoyance filled her voice. She hated when she couldn’t understand me, and this turn of phrase seemed to push her over the edge of her already developing anger.
    “No one will notice her.”
    “He’s right. No one pays attention to me there. I’m practically invisible as it is.”
    Aspen said nothing but looked back at Holly, who was clutching the doorknob as if her life depended on it.
    “He sent you to me, and now he’s sent you here . You’re not invisible, Holly, not in the slightest.”
    “He’s punishing me, that’s all. Tomorrow he’ll go back to pretending I don’t exist while I wash and iron his clothes. That’s all I am to him, a laundress. Please, Aspen, let me be something else. Let me help. I’ll do whatever I can, I promise you.”
    Aspen crossed her arms in front of her chest and cocked her head to the side. “And what do you want in return? What do you expect from me? From us?”
    Holly paused, swallowed hard, and tilted her chin up with confidence. “I want out.”
    Aspen gasped and her reaction came in an angry whisper. “Out of our